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Fall Is for Baking

Fall is just around the corner, and that brings to mind baking with all of the fresh fall fruits and vegetables. Fall also brings to mind County and State Fairs, and with that comes Baking Contests. Don’t forget to bring your favorite baked cookies, pies and cakes to the Lenoir County Fair on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 21. Judging is on site and after the judging fair goers get to taste the contest entries!!

Easy Carmel Apple Bars

1/2 cup cold butter

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) oatmeal cookie mix

1 egg

1 cup finely chopped peeled apple

3/4 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using fork or pastry blender. Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly.

In a food processor, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the milk and vinegar and drizzle it on top. Pulse in 1-second bursts until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather up any crumbs and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to an 11-inch round, a scant 1/4 inch thick; ease it into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch and fold it under itself. Crimp decoratively and chill the crust until firm, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 15 minutes, until the crust is barely set. Remove the parchment and pie weights. Cover the edge of the crust with strips of foil and bake for about 15 minutes longer, until the crust is just set but not browned. Press the bottom of the crust lightly to deflate it as it puffs; let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 350°.

In a medium saucepan, boil the cider until it’s reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the sugar, the sour cream and salt, then whisk in the eggs.

Pour the custard into the pie shell without removing the foil strips. Bake the pie in the lower third of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set around the edge but the center is slightly jiggly. Let the pie cool completely.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the cinnamon until firmly whipped. Mound the cream on the pie, cut into wedges and serve. Serve with baked apple slices.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, without stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes or until butter becomes brown and fragrant. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.

For filling, in a bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the pecans, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, and the 2 teaspoons flour. Add 3 tablespoons of the browned butter and work in with fingers or a fork until mixture is crumbly; set aside. In another bowl, stir together the 3 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat remaining browned butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add remaining 1- 1/2 cups brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Stir in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and yogurt to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in the remaining 1-1/4 cups pecans. Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle evenly with filling. Spoon remaining batter over filling, spreading to cover.

Bake about 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle with Coffee Icing.

Coffee Icing

In a bowl, stir together 4 teaspoons milk and instant coffee crystals until dissolved. Stir in powdered sugar and enough additional milk (1 to 2 teaspoons) to make a drizzling consistency.

To prevent overbrowning, cover edges of pastry with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover edges and bake 20 to 30 minutes more or until filling is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours after it cools.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously brush a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 9-inch cake pan with the butter; set aside.

In a food processor combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and almonds. Cover and pulse with several on/off turns until mixture is fine. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in flour, lemon peel, baking powder, and salt until combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the almond extract. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into prepared skillet, spreading evenly.

Bake 25 minutes (bake 30 minutes if using a cake pan) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in skillet on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine fruit, the remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

If desired, dust cake with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature with fruit mixture.

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